Chrysanthemum tea
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Chrysanthemum tea (Chinese: 菊花茶; pinyin: jú huā chá) is a flower-based tisane made from chrysanthemum flowers, which is most popular in East Asia. To prepare the tea, Chrysanthemum flowers (usually dried yellow flowers, although white ones may also be used) are steeped in boiling water; often rock sugar is also added. The resulting drink is transparent and light to bright yellow in color, with a floral aroma. In Chinese tradition, once a pot of Chrysanthemum tea has been drunk, boiling water is typically added again to the flowers in the pot (producing a tea that is slightly less strong); this process is often repeated several times.
Chrysanthemum tea has many purported medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza and as a "cooling" herb. According to traditional Chinese medicine the tisane can aid in the prevention of sore throat and promote the reduction of fever. In western herbal medicine, Chrysanthemum tea is drunk and used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and atherosclerosis.
Although typically prepared at home, chrysanthemum tea is also available as a beverage in many Asian restaurants (particularly Chinese ones), and is also available in Asian grocery stores in canned form.
